Safe and Sound
by iloveromance
Summary: When Daphne wakes in the middle of the night, distraught and terrified Niles finds himself torn between the two people he loves the most. A story based on a nightmare that I experienced recently.
1. Chapter 1

_The road was wet, icy and extremely narrow but despite the frigid temperatures, she knew that she had to get her husband and son home safely. She drove on, giving no thought to how peculiar this particular road was, for it was definitely the narrowest that she'd ever seen. It seemed impossible for even the smallest car to navigate, but she was determined. _

"_Daphne, what are you doing?"  
_

_She turned to Niles and smiled. "I'm just trying to get you and David home safely. We'll be there soon. As long as I can keep the tires on either side and avoid the icy water in the middle, everything will be okay."  
_

_"But Daphne, this road... It's so narrow and although you know that I love you and trust you completely, I'm afraid that we'll never-."  
_

_She put her fingers on his lips, silencing him. _

"_Now, don't you worry, my darling. I promise that we'll be home soon. Just a few more minutes and we'll be on our way. I just need to navigate this one last stretch of ro-whoa!" _

_The car wobbled and skidded and she found it harder and harder to keep it steady. The tires hit a patch of ice and to Daphne's horror; the left side of the car tilted sideways and began to sink into the frigid icy water. _

_She climbed out of the car and watched as the terrifying scene unfolded in front of her. _

"_Niles! David! Oh my God! I'll get you out!" Daphne screamed, frantically trying to grab the car and pull it upright. But it was no use. The car was much too heavy. _

_The two way radio in her hand, she pushed on the button and began to scream. "Please! Somebody! I need help My husband and son are sinking! Frasier! Martin, Ronee! Where are you?"  
_

_But her cries were met with a scratchy response from an unknown party; _

"_The Cranes are unavailable, having gone to Cannon Beach, Oregon."  
_

_"Cannon Beach?" Daphne repeated, unable to believe what she was hearing. "What are they doing there? Why aren't they at home? Don't they know that I need them?"  
_

_She rushed back over to where the car was still sinking and tugged on it with all her might.  
_

_"Niles, wake up! Please! You have to save yourself! Please! I love you! I love-."_

_But it was too late.  
_


	2. Chapter 2

She bolted upright, her heart pounding in her chest. When she looked over at her sleeping husband the panic subsided only slightly, and she began to shake him awake.

"Niles! Wake up! Please! Wake-."

His eyes flew open and he looked at her in alarm.

"Daphne, what is it? What's wrong?"

Relived that Niles was all right, another terrifying thought came and she scrambled out of bed and put on her robe.

"My baby! My baby!"

"Daphne-."

She ran into the nursery, only vaguely aware that Niles was following close behind.

"My baby! Oh, Darling! Mommy's here!"

She peered into the crib where her infant son slept peacefully. Ignoring her husband's protests, she reached for David and picked him up, cradling him against her chest.

Startled from being woken so suddenly, David cried relentlessly, and she held him closer in a desperate attempt to calm him.

"Shhh... It's all right, Darling. Mommy's here."

Niles stood in the doorway, watching them with concern.

"Daphne-."

But she continued to ignore Niles and carried the crying baby into their bedroom.

"Daphne, what are you doing?"

As she climbed onto the bed, she held David in her arms, rocking him as she began to cry.

"Mommy loves you, my angel and I'm so sorry I hurt you! I'm so very sorry! But you're safe now. I promise that you and Daddy are safe and sound and I'll never let anything hurt you again!"

She was so intent on calming her son that she gasped in surprised when she felt Niles take David out of her arms.

"What are you doing? Where are you taking my baby?"

Niles laid David on the bed and patted his stomach and within minutes the child was asleep.

But Daphne continued to fuss over him. "Mommy loves you, my angel and I-I'm so sorry I hurt you! I'm so very sorry!"

"Daphne, Daphne... It's all right." Niles said, trying to reassure her. "He's asleep now. David's fine."

"No! I have to save him! I have to-."

"Daphne, stop this! Now!" Niles yelled in a tone that she'd never heard him use before.

The words cut through Daphne's heart like a sword and for a moment they stared at one another in horror. And seconds later she burst into tears.

"Daphne, I'm sorry. I just-."

He looked at her helplessly and brushed a lock of damp hair from her forehead. "My angel, what's wrong? What happened?"

But the moment he touched her, she collapsed into sobs against his chest.


	3. Chapter 3

"Oh Niles!" Daphne sobbed against his chest.

"Hey, hey... what's this about?"

Keeping a close eye on his son, he held Daphne against him, painfully aware of her trembling body. Something must have happened and the thought terrified him. When he spoke again, his voice was calm.

"It's all right, my love. I've got you."

Suddenly he felt the bed begin to move and he turned to find David becoming restless. And just as he feared, the child started to cry.

Torn between his wife's fretfulness and his son's unhappiness, he kissed Daphne's tear-streaked cheek.

"I'll be right back, my love."

But she grabbed his arm, pulling him onto the bed.

"No! Don't leave me! I-I couldn't bear it!"

"It's all right, my angel." Niles said softly as he kissed her sweet lips. He stared into her beautiful eyes and with a heavy heart did his best to brush the tears from her cheeks.

"I'll only be gone a few minutes. I'm going to put David to bed. Here... just lie down and I'll be right back."

Against her protests, he tucked her into bed, taking a moment to smell her hair. The scent of spring flowers filled his senses releasing a multitude of memories.

But he had no time for memories now. He had two precious lives to take care of.


	4. Chapter 4

The baby was crying harder now, breaking Niles' heart with each passing second. And as gently as possible, he rose from the bed making sure to kiss Daphne once more.

Carefully he picked up his son and carried him over to where his wife lay, sobbing into the pillow.

The sight of his distraught wife crushed him and he stroked her hair with his fingertips.

"That's your mommy, David and we love her more than life itself, don't we?"

As Niles patted the baby's back, David's tears subsided and he began to hiccup.

"As much as I'd love to hold you like this, I think Mommy needs me right now. But don't worry. I'll take care of her. Why don't we get you back into bed so that I can help her?"

To his dismay, David started to cry again, prompting Niles to hurry into the nursery. When he attempted to lay David in his crib, the crying continued, so he sat in the rocking chair and began rocking his child to sleep.

As he patted David's back, Niles sang softly; a tune that he could never remember the words to nor could he remember the name but he knew the melody by heart.

It was a song that his mother used to sing to him when he was a little boy. And by the time he'd finished the song, David was sound asleep.

"Goodnight my sweet boy." Niles whispered as he kissed the baby's soft cheek.

Careful not to wake him, he carried David to the crib and laid him on the mattress, covering him with the blanket. Then he turned out the light, filling the room with dozens of tiny stars from the nightlight.

He smiled at his son, and although it seemed silly, he knew that those stars would watch over his precious angel and keep him safe.


	5. Chapter 5

Niles' heart ached at the thought of leaving Daphne alone for so long, but perhaps it was for the best. For surely by now she'd fallen asleep.

But when he reached the bedroom, his heart sank as he heard the soft cries from his angel.

He entered the room and gently sat down beside her.

"Daphne?"

She sat up and when her eyes met his, she cried even harder, clutching to him.

Feeling helpless, he held her close, trying his best to calm her. But his words were of little comfort.

"My angel what's happened?"

Slowly she drew back. "It was horrible! It was my fault! I didn't mean to do it, Niles! I'm so sorry!"

"Sorry for what, my love? What happened?"

"The-the car! It sank! And the water was so cold! The ice! I thought I'd never see you or David again!"

A nightmare. He should have known.

No wonder she was terrified.

He sighed deeply wishing that he could take away her pain. And when she was ready, he was grateful that she told him the whole story.

"Oh Daphne, I'm so sorry." He said, drawing her so close that he could feel the rapid beating of her heart. "What a terrible ordeal you've been through. I'm sorry I took so long with David. He was restless and I had to sing to him to get him to sleep. But he's all right now. I can't bear the thought of you hurting like this. It must have been a terrifying nightmare and I don't know what I'd do if I ever lost you. I couldn't go on living. I-."

His voice broke and he clutched her tightly, the tears streaming down his cheeks.

They cried together; Daphne, consumed by memories of a terrifying nightmare and Niles, picturing a scene that he prayed would never happen.

When she drew back suddenly, a slight panic set in.

"Daphne, what's wrong?"

She smiled, warming his heart and then touched his cheek. "I love you, Niles. I love you so much."

And then she kissed him deeply, a kiss like no other.

"Sing to me, Niles. The way you were singing to David. Please?"

Niles smiled, overcome with relief. For his angel had returned to him.

"Of course, my love."

He hummed the same song he sung to David, holding the love of his life in his arms. And when the song was over, he heard her soft breathing, relieved that she had fallen asleep at last.

Taking great care not to wake her, Niles laid Daphne onto the pillow and tucked her in before kissing her once more.

Then he climbed into bed and drew her close, sighing contently as she snuggled next to him. There he drifted off to slumber, dreaming of the sweetest things.

And he prayed that Daphne's dreams were just as wonderful.

**THE END**


End file.
